Lais de Marie de France Resumen y análisis de "Lanval"

Resumen
Marie habla de un caballero de la legendaria corte del Rey Arturo , llamado
Lanval . Es un caballero que posee grandes cualidades, incluyendo belleza y valor,
y como resultado es envidiado por muchos otros caballeros que no se habrían
afligido si hubiera sufrido una desgracia. Tal envidia se manifiesta en su posición
en la corte. Arthur nunca le otorga nada (a pesar del servicio leal de Lanval) y
los otros caballeros tampoco hacen ningún esfuerzo para ayudarlo. Como nació lejos
y hace mucho tiempo que pasó su herencia, Lanval vive una vida triste y solitaria.

Un día, Lanval se dirige al país por placer. Cuando se acerca a un arroyo, su

caballo se asusta, por lo que lo suelta y se acuesta para deleitarse con su
tristeza. Un rato después, ve a dos hermosas damiselas acercándose, una con platos
de oro y la otra con una toalla. Se pone de pie para recibirlos y le explican que
han venido a llevarlo con su amante, que espera en una tienda cercana.

Lanval deja atrás a su caballo y los acompaña a una magnífica carpa finamente
adornada, tan hermosa que los grandes emperadores no podrían "permitirse ni
siquiera el lado derecho". Aún más fina es la dama de adentro, que "superó en
belleza al lirio y la nueva rosa cuando aparece en verano. Se encuentra medio
cubierta en medio de otros adornos finos, a los que Marie da mucha descripción.

La doncella llama a Lanval y le dice que ella ha venido a buscarlo por su profundo
amor, y que si demuestra ser digno, ella le otorgará una felicidad sin igual. Él ve
su belleza y está igualmente impresionado por el amor, tanto que le promete que
haría lo que ella le pidiera. A su promesa, duermen juntos y se unen en el amor.
Ella le concede la bendición de que nunca desearía nada y, de hecho, cuanto más
gastara en la vida, más tendría que seguir gastando. Se le concede alojamiento en
su tienda, comida y ropa maravillosa. El único requisito es que no le cuente a
nadie sobre ella y su amor, de lo contrario la perderá para siempre. Después de un
largo tiempo juntos, ella le dice que debe irse, y le dice que cada vez que desee
verla, simplemente necesita pensar en un lugar puro y ella se unirá a él allí.

Esa noche, Lanval casi duda de la existencia de la dama, pero llega a casa para
encontrar a sus hombres tan bien vestidos como él. A partir de ese momento, se
convierte en un modelo de generosidad, dando regalos libremente, otorgando perdón a
los prisioneros y ofreciendo hospitalidad a todos, incluso cuando los invitados no
pueden determinar de dónde proviene su riqueza. Todo el tiempo, encuentra alegría
en visitar a su amado en cualquier momento que quiera.

Más tarde ese año, varios caballeros se relajan en un jardín cuando Gawain se da
cuenta de que Lanval no está con ellos y regaña a su grupo por no haber incluido a
Lanval. Gawain lleva a un grupo a buscar a Lanval, que viene de buena gana.
Mientras tanto, la reina ( Ginebra, aunque Marie no la nombra explícitamente) ve a
Lanval a través de su ventana y diseña un plan. Se viste con su vestido más
magnífico y trae a varias damas al jardín con ella. Los caballeros se acercan
rápidamente a las chicas, pero Guinevere se acerca a Lanval, que se ha retirado de
la multitud para soñar con su propia dama. Ella rápidamente confiesa su deseo por
él y se ofrece a él. Él rechaza suavemente sus avances, citando su lealtad a
Arthur. Enojada, ella responde acusándolo de homosexualidad, sugiriendo que su
degeneración ha afectado a Arthur.

Aquí Lanval comete su error. Enfurecido por su acusación petulante, se defiende

amando y siendo amado por una mujer de tal belleza que incluso las sirvientas de su
amada son superiores en belleza y bondad a Ginebra. Ginebra huye, molesto, y se
dirige a su habitación, jurando no levantarse hasta que su esposo venga el insulto.

Cuando el rey regresa, su reina se queja con él, afirmando falazmente que Lanval
había intentado seducirla y, en respuesta a su negativa, hizo la afirmación de que
las sirvientas de su amada eran superiores a ella. Furioso, Arthur jura que, a
menos que Lanval pueda defenderse en la corte, ahorcará al caballero. Envía a los
barones a buscar a Lanval, quien, mientras tanto, está muy afligido, ya que perdió
el acceso a su amada por no haber mantenido el secreto. Él la llama una y otra vez,
en vano, y "fue un milagro que no se suicidara".

Lanval es llevado ante el rey, quien lo acusa de gran error. Aunque con suficiente
pena como para recibir la muerte, Lanval se defiende de las afirmaciones de la
reina sobre su lujuria, aunque admite la verdad de sus palabras sobre su amada y
sus asistentes. Él acepta que seguirá cualquier decisión que encuentre la corte del
rey, por lo que Arthur llama a sus hombres para asesorarlo. Deciden fijar una fecha
en la corte para reunir un jurado más grande, pero esto requiere que alguien pague
la fianza de Lanval. Debido a que es un paria, inicialmente nadie está dispuesto a
comprometerse hasta que Gawain y sus hombres se ofrezcan para asumir la carga.
Lanval es liberado, y los hombres de Gawain lo acompañan a casa, reprendiéndolo por
ceder ante un amor tan tonto. En los próximos días, lo vigilan de cerca, temerosos
de que descuide su salud.

The day of the trial comes, and the barons assemble to act as jury. Arthur wishes
for a speedy verdict to appease the queen, but the barons are mixed. Some wish to
punish him in service of their lord's wishes, while many others feel great pity for
this poor man who does not hide his sadness. They decide to offer Lanval the
following bargain: since he had pledged the truth of his words, he would be
acquitted if his beloved were to step forward and prove his words true, and if she
does not, he will be banished. Lanval informs them she will not come to his aid.

On the verge of making their verdict, two pretty maidens approach on palfreys. They
are much admired, and Gawain and his knights inform Lanval of their arrival,
assuming one of these fine women must be his beloved. However, Lanval has never
seen them before. Arthur receives them, and when they ask that a room be prepared
in great fashion for their lady, whose arrival is impending, Arthur grants it.

Desperate for quick verdict, Arthur pressures the barons, who inform him their
deliberation was interrupted by the arrival of the ladies. They have barely resumed
discussion when two more ladies arrive, these even more beautiful and more finely
adorned. Marie says that both were more beautiful than Guinevere, but Lanval
nevertheless does not recognize them and does not confess to loving either one.
They too ask for a chamber to house their arriving lady, which Arthur grants before
again pressuring the barons for a quick verdict to appease the queen's impatient
anger.

Yet again, the barons are on the cusp of a verdict when a single lady appears, more
beautiful than anyone in the world and dressed to match. Marie spends much
description on her loveliness, which floors all who witness her arrival. Lanval is
informed of her approach, and when he recognizes her as his beloved, swears he no
longer cares for his life now that he can see her again.

The lady tells Arthur that Lanval has been wrongly accused and hopes her arrival
will save him. The barons speedily attest to the accuracy of Lanval's claim, and he
is freed. The lady and her attendants leave immediately despite Arthur's attempts
to keep them. On their way out of town, Lanval leaps from a high wall and lands on
the lady's palfrey, and the two ride together to Avalon, and are never seen again.

Analysis
"Lanval" is essentially the story of an outcast, and through its plot Marie
explores the theme of great love that cannot exist in conjunction with the real
world.
It is first worthwhile to consider how removed Lanval is from his society at the
very beginning. Even though he exemplifies chivalrous values – loyalty to his lord,
generosity, and valor – he is not accepted. In fact, Arthur, in forgetting to grant
Lanval land and wealth, is failing in his own feudal duties (in which the lord also
owes the vassal loyalty). As a man from another land, Lanval is a well-drawn
picture of a man removed from the world.

So it is no surprise that his great happiness and love would also exist apart.
Marie rarely spends such narrative time in the descriptions she accords both the
beloved lady and the lady's adornments, which suggests that we are to recognize how
otherworldly they are. Her most common rhetorical technique is to praise what the
lady has as superior to anything that has been known before, even to great
emperors. The sense seems to be that we should identify this lady as magical,
almost like a fairy from a realm greater than our own.

There are several elements and symbols that help characterize this idea that
Lanval's love is meant to exist apart from society. Firstly, he leaves his horse
behind to visit the lady. As a horse is always associated with a knight, this
implies that he is willing to forsake the world that makes him an outcast. And he
is well-rewarded by the splendid tent and gorgeous woman, whose only request is
that he keep their love secret. Lanval takes her wish to heart, and only
intensifies his devotion to solitary living, so much so that when Gawain invites
him out to take leisure with the other knights, Lanval's first instinct is to go
off by himself.

Marie wishes us to realize, however, the tragedy that such an intensely personal
love will always be at odds with the world, so dedicated to society of others.
Consider how no other characters ever act or are seen alone in the poem. The only
other valiant character, Gawain, is nevertheless always described as being part of
a company, even when they are nameless, as though to suggest he cannot act without
his buddies. Arthur cannot decide Lanval's fate without calling together his men,
who then request that they contact more men to facilitate the process.

Indeed, the world is an ugly place, where loyalty is not rewarded, and the cruel
lies of the insulted queen can force a trial. It's no wonder that the lady asks
that Lanval keep their love secret: such beauty, known only to two lovers, has no
place in the ugly world.

From a sexual standpoint, it is useful to think of Lanval's love as a type of

masturbation. While Marie suggests the existence of the lady (since through her he
is given wealth that others notice), it is equally useful to remember that she is
too good to be true, as much fantasy as reality. Lanval spends time alone even when
Guinevere brings her courtly ladies to be wooed by the knights, and enjoys a love
that can only exist on its own. While Marie does not paint this in a moral light
(i.e., masturbation is bad), it is plausible to read one message of the lay as a
warning against giving too much credence to our fantasy at the expense of the world
that we are necessarily a part of.

The other virtues stressed in the lay are loyalty and justice. In terms of the
former, Lanval is praised for having been true to Arthur even as Arthur shows a
lapse in duty to him. And further, what does one make of the three levels of
revelation that end up with the lady arriving at the end? Perhaps it is a simple
reliance on the fairy tale pattern of threes that the lady's arrival is preceded by
two sets of attendants, but it could also be seen as a test of Lanval's loyalty. He
has already lapsed in revealing the existence of his beloved to Arthur, but here he
shows his true affection by not claiming that these other fine ladies are indeed
his own. Were he to do so, it is likely he would be found innocent, since the
attendants are indeed superior in beauty to the queen. However, he would rather die
than betray his beloved in this way, which might be what leads her to save him.

Ultimately, the two are reunited in a happy ending, but it can't take place in the
world. Instead, they take off for Avalon, a mystical realm, and he is never again
seen. The world's inadequacy is stressed by the lady's refusal to stay in even the
finest of Arthur's rooms, which has been ornately decorated specifically for her.
Even the best the world has to offer is inadequate.

The lay also spends much time on the details of the court trial which suggests
Marie might be giving honor to her audience and their own ways of justice and
trials.

Lastly, Marie makes many authorial interjections in this lay to stress the truth of
the poem. This works in the same way as in other lays, though it is arguably more
frequent here.

Siguiente sección
Resumen y análisis de "Les Deux Amanz"
Sección anterior
Resumen y análisis de
"Bisclavret"
Comprar guía de estudioCitar esta página

GradeSaver pagará $ 15 por sus ensayos de literatura

GradeSaver pagará $ 25 por sus ensayos de solicitud de universidad
GradeSaver pagará $ 50 por sus ensayos de posgrado: derecho, negocios o medicina
GradeSaver pagará $ 10 por sus contribuciones de Community Note
GradeSaver pagará $ 500 por sus contribuciones de respuesta de libros de texto
GUÍA DE ESTUDIO DE NAVEGACIÓN
Sobre Lais de Marie de France
Resumen de Lais de Marie de France
Lista de personajes
Glosario